Fracking plans would 'blow up local democracy', campaigners say

Yesterday The Yorkshire Post revealed that ministers are looking at giving drilling companies the responsibility for seeking the local support of residents who would be affected by fracking in their area.

This would therefore mean that councils would not be involved in approving fracking in Yorkshire, amid political concerns that some local authorities could block payments to households.

Sarah McMonagle, acting director of campaigns and policy at CPRE, the countryside charity, said: “It would be simply extraordinary for the government to blow up local democracy in an ill-advised attempt to force fracking onto rural communities.

“Offering bribes to the closest households will not make fracking acceptable to the wider community.”

Liz Truss, during a difficult media round on Thursday morning, confirmed that Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Business Secretary, would be setting out further details in due course as she defended the Government’s decision.

It is understood that fracking consent plans are yet to be finalised, with the Government working to establish an acceptable level of local consent that fracking companies would have to achieve in order to go ahead with their plans.

Friends of the Earth energy campaigner, Tony Bosworth, said: “Suggestions that obtaining local consent for fracking could be outsourced to the companies wanting to drill look like a thinly veiled attempt to bypass local democracy.

“Fracking has been hugely unpopular everywhere it has been tried, and communities will resist any attempt to have it foisted on them via the backdoor.”